I plan on mounting my first elk this weekend. The cape has been wet tanned but the measurement I get from the tanned cape is about 2" smaller than the form size. I've never had any trouble on my deer so I may have messed up the measurement on the elk. I bought some Ultra Soft in hopes of getting the maximum amount of stretch that I possibly can. Am I on the right track? The cape is frozen now and I want to mount it Saturday morning. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

Did you shave it?

Porper shaving is where I get most of my stretch. The oil just helps it keep it's stretch. I use the ez tan 100 and pro oil and I always get back the original dimensions if not more. Where are you measuring? Over the neck with the skin on or the actual skinned neck? I use the meat measurement or the hide itself after skinning. Another way is to take your measurements after tanning? Good Luck

Dave Toms

It was a commercial tan

This response submitted by Dan on 2/16/01. ( ) 204.178.119.102

Dave, I just took the red meat off and salted dry. The tannery did the rest. The tannery came very highly recommended and I'm sure it was my fault. The measurement I took was on the skinned neck under the chin.I just need to get the cape as stretchy as possible. It is thawing out as I type this and as always any help is appreciated.

Dan

This response submitted by Dave Toms on 2/16/01. ( ) 208.178.217.49

I sometimes had that proble also when I used commercial tanning. I think it has a lot to do with the tan they use? If they use an allum based tan then it seems you get less stretch. That is exactly why I started doing my own tanning. You might give Bruce rittle a call and maybe he can give you some advice as to how to proceed from here. You may want to look at aonther tannery with a different process? Good Luck

Dave

fleshing beam

all you need is a fleshing beam and a pair of tin snips and you can strectch them out if you have ordered a stretcher tool from a supply company that will work by just laying on table hair side down and run toll from middle to sides.To use tin snipps just lay cape over beam put snip handdle in right hand turn side way's place round end of snipp on hide put left hand on top of round edge press down with alot of pressure start in middle of cape and push to wards incision do 2 or 3 times if nessasary you will get another 10% strech if that don't work send manikin back. always measure 2 to 3 inches' down from ear base thats were neck starts to swell always measure after tanned!